A known prior art interconnector comprises a metal outer sleeve having a rubber inner sleeve or liner bonded thereto. The liner has an inwardly projecting rib or washer against which the proximate ends of tubes of filtration modules abut. This prior art interconnector is subject to certain limitations attributed primarily to the fact that the interconnector comprises metal and rubber sleeves which are bonded together. These limitations include:
1. In an attempt to achieve proper bonding between the metal sleeve and the rubber liner, the external metal sleeve has a relatively thin cross section. Accordingly, shoulders formed on such sleeve and against which anti-telescoping braces are seated and which are made out of plastic have insufficient seating surface areas. Accordingly, when the braces are subject to pressure, the plastic seats on the braces tend to shear off, thus resulting in failure of the structure and failure of the braces to preform their anti-telescoping function.
2. Utilization of an outer metal sleeve in the prior device typically results in poor bonding of the rubber to the metal. Even though the metal is thin, it is still too massive to bond properly to the rubber. This results in many bond failures. Cracks develop between the rubber liner and the metal sleeve. The rubber liner may even collapse during assembly of the liner with the sleeve.
3. The rubber liner washer is subject to failure because it is integral with the lip seals at the ends of the liner. If the lip seals are made of a rubber which has a low enough durometer and is sufficiently soft to properly seal with the module tubes, this rubber is too soft to constitute an effective bumper or washer to resist the impact shocks which are imposed on the washer when flow through the module is reversed for cleaning purposes. Prior art attempts to reinforce or back up the relatively soft rubber washer with a metal core have not been particularly successful because such devices have been subject to shear failures of the washer.
4. The small shoulder on the metal sleeve has insufficient bearing surface to contain shock loads exerted thereon by the anti-telescoping braces. The braces tend to ride up over the soft rubber seal at the end taper of the liner, thus deforming the rubber in ridges on its interior diameter and create channels for escape of fluid and destroy the seal. In accordance with the present invention, there is no contact between the anti-telescoping plate spokes and the soft rubber tapered extension. Accordingly, no pressure is exerted between the plate and the soft rubber, and such channels cannot be created.
Moreover, such prior art metal-rubber composite interconnectors are expensive to make and to use.